HVAC systems with evaporator bypass and supply air recirculation and methods of using same

ABSTRACT

An HVAC system includes an evaporator coil disposed between a return air duct and a supply air duct. The system includes a compressor fluidically connected to the evaporator coil, and a blower for providing a flow of air through the HVAC system. The HVAC system includes a supply air recirculation line with a recirculation damper and an evaporator bypass line with a bypass damper. A controller of the HVAC determines a recirculation portion of a flow of air and causes the recirculation damper to move to divert the recirculation portion to the recirculation line, so the air recirculates through the HVAC system. The controller determines a bypass portion of a flow of air and causes the bypass damper to move to divert the bypass portion to the bypass line, so the bypass portion does not contact the evaporator coil.

TECHNICAL FIELD

This disclosure relates generally to heating, ventilation, and airconditioning (HVAC) systems and methods of their use. In particular,this disclosure relates to HVAC systems for improved dehumidification ofair supplied to an enclosed space.

BACKGROUND

Heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems are used toregulate environmental conditions within an enclosed space. Typically,HVAC systems have a blower, or recirculation fan, that pulls air from anenclosed space through a return duct and pushes the air back into theenclosed space through one or more supply air ducts after conditioningthe air (e.g., heating, cooling, humidifying, or dehumidifying the air).HVAC systems generally include a controller to direct operation of theblower and other components of the system. In addition to directingoperation of the HVAC system, the controller may be used to monitorvarious components of the HVAC system to determine if the components arefunctioning properly.

SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE

HVAC systems are typically configured to supply an enclosed space withconditioned air that is comfortable for occupants of the space byadjusting the temperature and relative humidity of the conditioned air.The air supplied by the HVAC system has an associated temperature and anassociated relative humidity. In some HVAC systems, the temperatureand/or humidity of the supply air may be adjusted in order to meet theoccupant's desired comfort. However, dehumidification using conventionalHVAC systems is far from optimal and can result in over-cooling of theconditioned air, waste of energy, and damage to components of the HVACsystem, as described in greater detail herein.

This disclosure contemplates an unconventional HVAC system that solvesproblems of conventional systems. The HVAC system, in certainembodiments, includes an evaporator bypass line and a supply airrecirculation line which allow the HVAC system to operate under moreoptimal conditions for the removal of water from air. A portion of theair that would typically pass through the evaporator coil is divertedthrough the bypass line (i.e., and not pass through the evaporatorcoil), allowing the evaporator to more effectively dehumidify the airand improving the overall operation of the HVAC system. Recirculatingconditioned air through the HVAC system via the supply air recirculationline also allows the system to more effectively and efficiently providesupply air to a conditioned space at a desired temperature and humiditywithout wasting energy and without adversely affecting the HVAC system.

According to an embodiment, an HVAC system includes an evaporator coildisposed between a return air duct and a supply air duct. The HVACsystem also includes a compressor fluidically connected to theevaporator coil, and a blower disposed between the evaporator and thesupply air duct for providing a flow of air through the HVAC system. TheHVAC system includes a supply air recirculation line fluidicallyconnecting the supply air duct to the return air duct and bypassing theconditioned space. The supply air recirculation line comprises arecirculation damper for adjusting a first flow of air to a conditionedspace via the supply air duct and a second flow of air from the supplyair duct to the return air duct via the supply air recirculation line.The HVAC system also includes an evaporator bypass line fluidicallyconnecting the return air duct to the output airstream of the evaporatorcoil. The evaporator bypass line comprises a bypass damper for adjustinga third flow of air to an input of the evaporator coil and a fourth flowof air to the output of the evaporator coil via the evaporator bypassline. The HVAC system also includes a controller operatively coupled tothe compressor, the blower, the recirculation damper, and the bypassdamper. The controller is operable to determine a recirculation portionof the first flow of air to divert from the supply air duct to thereturn air duct based at least in part on a minimum operating flow rateof the blower. The controller is also operable to cause therecirculation damper to move to divert the recirculation portion of thefirst flow of air from the supply air duct to the return air duct viathe supply air recirculation line. The controller is operable todetermine an operating mode of the HVAC system. The controller is alsooperable to determine a bypass portion of the third flow of air todivert from the return air duct to the output of the evaporator coilbased at least in part on the operating mode of the HVAC system. Thecontroller is also operable to cause the bypass damper to move to divertthe bypass portion of the third flow of air from the return air duct tothe output of the evaporator coil via the evaporator bypass line.

According to another embodiment, an HVAC system includes an evaporatorcoil disposed between a return air duct and a supply air duct, acompressor fluidically connected to the evaporator coil, and a blowerdisposed between the evaporator and the supply air duct for providing aflow of air through the HVAC system. The HVAC system also comprises anevaporator bypass line fluidically connecting the return air duct to anoutput of the evaporator coil. The evaporator bypass line comprises abypass damper for adjusting a first flow of air to an input of theevaporator coil and a second flow of air to the output of the evaporatorcoil via the evaporator bypass line. The HVAC system also comprises acontroller operatively coupled to the compressor, the blower, and thebypass damper. The controller is operable to determine an operating modeof the HVAC system. The controller is operable to determine a bypassportion of the first flow of air to divert from the return air duct tothe output of the evaporator coil based at least in part on theoperating mode of the HVAC system. The controller is operable to causethe bypass damper to move to divert the bypass portion of the first flowof air from the return air duct to the output airstream of theevaporator coil via the evaporator bypass line.

Certain embodiments provide one or more technical advantages includingor in addition to those described above. For example, an embodimentreduces energy waste by reducing unnecessary cooling of the flow of airto achieve a desired relative humidity. As another example, anembodiment allows a portion of the flow of air from the return air ductto bypass the evaporator coil so that evaporator coil may moreeffectively remove moisture from the flow of air while at the same timemaintaining adequate ventilation airflow needs in the conditioned space.Certain embodiments may include none, some, or all of the abovetechnical advantages. One or more other technical advantages may bereadily apparent to one skilled in the art from the figures,descriptions, and claims included herein.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

For a more complete understanding of the present disclosure, referenceis now made to the following description, taken in conjunction with theaccompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 illustrates an HVAC system, according to certain embodiments ofthe present disclosure;

FIG. 2 is a flowchart illustrating a method of operating the HVAC systemwith an evaporator bypass line and a supply air recirculation line,according to certain embodiments;

FIG. 3 is a flowchart illustrating a method of operating an HVAC systemwith an evaporator bypass line, according to certain embodiments; and

FIGS. 4 and 5 are graphs of example performance metrics of an HVACsystem operating with different flows of air diverted through the supplyair recirculation line and the evaporator bypass line.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Embodiments of the present disclosure and its advantages are bestunderstood by referring to FIGS. 1 through 5 of the drawings, likenumerals being used for like and corresponding parts of the variousdrawings.

As described above, HVAC systems are typically configured to supply anenclosed space with conditioned air that is comfortable for occupants ofthe space. The air supplied by the HVAC system has an associatedtemperature and an associated relative humidity. In some HVAC systems,the temperature and/or humidity of the supply air may be adjusted (e.g.,using a thermostat) in order to meet the occupant's desired comfort.

However, dehumidification using conventional HVAC systems is far fromoptimal. This is because an HVAC system's ability to dehumidify air inan enclosed space is tied to the extent to which the HVAC system coolsthe air in the enclosed space. Indeed, HVAC systems remove moisture fromthe air by circulating moisturized air over and/or through evaporatorcoils that are colder in temperature than the moisturized air (e.g.,because of the temperature of refrigerant circulating through theevaporator coils). As a result of heat-exchange principles, thecirculating air is cooled and the moisture from the moisturized aircondenses on the evaporator coils, thereby producing dehumidified coldair which may then be directed to an enclosed space via a return airduct. Generally, an HVAC system ceases to operate once a predeterminedtemperature has been reached. For example, most HVAC systems willdiscontinue operation once an enclosed space has reached a programmedtemperature setpoint (e.g., 73° F.). Although the temperature of theenclosed space may be at a desired temperature setpoint (e.g., 73° F.)when the HVAC system ceases operation, the relative humidity of theenclosed space may not be at a desired humidity value (e.g., 80%relative humidity). In such cases, the temperature setpoint may beadjusted to an undesirably low temperature (e.g., 65° F.) in order todecrease the relative humidity of the enclosed space to a more desirablevalue (e.g., 44% relative humidity).

The extent of cooling and dehumidification an HVAC system can achieve isgenerally determined by its sensible capacity (Sc) and latent capacity(Lc). Each HVAC system has a total capacity (Tc), which is calculated asthe sum of the sensible capacity and a latent capacity (i.e., Tc=Sc+Lc).Generally, sensible capacity refers to an ability of the HVAC system toremove sensible heat from conditioned air (e.g., to cool the air). Asused herein, sensible heat refers to heat that, when added to or removedfrom the air, results in a temperature change of the conditioned air.Comparatively, latent heat refers to the ability of an HVAC system toremove latent heat from conditioned air (e.g., to dehumidify the air).As used herein, latent heat refers to heat that, when added to orremoved from the conditioned air, results in a phase change of, forexample, water within the conditioned air. Sensible capacity and latentcapacity may vary with environmental conditions.

A sensible-to-total ratio (“S/T Ratio”), calculated using sensible andlatent capacity values where S/T Ratio=Sc/Tc, may represent the comfortof an occupant within a conditioned space. Generally, a lower S/T ratiois indicative of a greater capacity for dehumidification, while a higherS/T ratio is indicative of a lesser capacity for dehumidification. Thus,if the sensible capacity value is very high, the HVAC system will have ahigh S/T ratio (e.g., 0.9). In the example of a 0.9 S/T ratio, the HVACsystem is devoting 90% of its total capacity to removing sensible heatand 10% of its total capacity to remove latent heat. Such a scenario maylead to humidity problems.

As described above, an existing approach to achieving a substantiallylow S/T ratio for air dehumidification involves lowering the temperaturesetpoint of the HVAC system until the desired dehumidification isachieved. This approach reduces both the temperature and humidity of theconditioned air. However, this approach causes the HVAC system tooperate for longer periods of time than if the temperature setpoint ofthe HVAC system were set to a higher temperature. As such, this approachresults not only in over-cooling of the conditioned air (and theconsequent occupant discomfort) but also wasted energy for the extendedHVAC system run times. Another approach to air dehumidification involvesre-heating air leaving the evaporator coil of the system. While thisapproach can provide conditioned air at a more comfortable temperaturefor occupants, additional energy is wasted, as energy is expended tofirst over-cool the air to achieve a comfortable relative humidity valuebefore the air is re-heated to achieve a more comfortable temperaturefor occupants.

The present disclosure provides solutions to the above-describedproblems and encompasses the recognition that the S/T ratio of an HVACsystem can be optimized, by operating the HVAC system at a predeterminedoptimal rate of air flow per ton of cooling provided by the compressor.For example, in HVAC systems with a variable-speed compressor, thecompressor speed, may be modulated. Similarly, a rate of air flowprovided by the blower (e.g., a blower “speed”) may be adjusted toachieve a desired predetermined rate of airflow per actual ton ofcooling for a given operating mode.

In practice, however, appropriately adjusting the rate of airflow peractual ton of cooling for an HVAC system can be difficult or impossiblebecause of mechanical limitations of the blower. A blower generally hasa minimum flow rate at which it is designed to operate (e.g., a minimumrated speed that is established by the manufacturer of the blower).Additionally, flow rate cannot generally be decreased below a minimumtarget flow rate that is required to properly service (e.g., cool and/ordehumidify) a given space. For instance, low flow rates can result inpoor air distribution within a large conditioned space, such as a largenon-residential space that comprises multiple sub-spaces, each of whichrequires an adequate flow of conditioned air. An office building, forexample, may require a certain minimum air flow rate to ensuresubstantial airflow is received in offices that are distant from theblower.

It is also generally difficult or impossible, in some instances, toadjust the rate of airflow per actual ton of cooling by increasing thespeed of the compressor of the HVAC system, because operating acompressor at an excessively high speed can adversely impact the HVACsystem by decreasing its performance and possibly damaging itself and/orother components of the HVAC system. Increasing the speed of thecompressor can result in over-cooling of the air. To prevent theconditioned space from being cooled to an uncomfortably low temperature,the compressor will also need to cycle on and off at a greaterfrequency. This cycling can cause re-evaporation of the moisture on theevaporator coil in the system, which will counterproductively increasethe humidity of the air supplied to the conditioned space. Thisincreased frequency of power cycling can stress the compressor and othercomponents of the HVAC system, resulting in increased maintenance costsand an increased probability of premature system failure. Additionally,when the compressor is operated at a high speed, the turndown ratio, orthe ratio of the maximum and minimum discharge pressures of thecompressor, is generally decreased resulting in a narrower operationalrange of cooling and dehumidification for the HVAC system.

This disclosure contemplates an unconventional HVAC system that includesan evaporator bypass line and a supply recirculation line which allowthe S/T ratio of the HVAC system to be optimized while mitigating theproblems described above. Recirculating conditioned air through the HVACsystem effectively decreases the temperature and humidity of the returnair directed to the evaporator coil of the HVAC system, allowing thesystem to more effectively dehumidify this air. In the systems describedherein, a damper in the recirculation line can be moved (e.g., to anappropriate angle) to divert a portion of the flow of conditioned air torecirculate back through the HVAC system. For example, the portion ofthe flow of conditioned air that is not needed to the conditioned space(e.g., the flow that is in excess of a target air flow required by theHVAC system) can be recirculated through the HVAC system to improve theS/T ratio of the system.

A bypass damper in the bypass line can similarly be used to improve theS/T ratio of the HVAC system. The bypass damper can be moved (e.g., toan appropriate angle) to divert a portion of the air that would normallypass through the evaporator coil (i.e., return air+any recirculatedsupply air from the supply recirculation line) to bypass the evaporatorcoil. Causing air to bypass the evaporator coil results in a decreasedflow of air through the evaporator coil. When the flow of air throughthe evaporator coil is decreased, the airside convective heat transfercoefficient is reduced, which lowers the coil temperature leading tohigher dehumidification or latent capacity at the expense of decreasedsensible and total cooling capacities. This results in an improved S/Tratio.

FIG. 1 illustrates an HVAC system, according to an illustrativeembodiment of the present disclosure. In a typical embodiment, HVACsystem 100 is configured to condition a flow of air (e.g., by coolingand dehumidifying the flow of air) that is received via a return airduct 140 and supplying the conditioned air to a conditioned space via asupply air duct 160. The conditioned space may be, for example, a house,an office building, a warehouse, or the like. Thus, HVAC system 100 canbe a residential system or a commercial system such as, for example, aroof-top system. For exemplary illustration, the HVAC system 100 asillustrated in FIG. 1 includes various components. However, in otherembodiments, the HVAC system 100 may include additional components thatare not illustrated but typically included within HVAC systems.

HVAC system 100 includes an evaporator coil 105, a blower 110, acompressor 115, and a controller 180. HVAC system 100 also includes asupply air recirculation line 120 with a recirculation damper 125disposed therein and an evaporator bypass line 130 with a bypass damper135 disposed therein. The recirculation damper 125 of supply airrecirculation line 120 can be moved to divert a portion of the supplyair from the supply air duct 160 to the return air duct 140 to improvethe removal of water from air passing through the HVAC system.Evaporator bypass line 130 allows a portion of air from the return line140 to be bypassed around evaporator coil 105 so that the portion of airdoes not pass through the evaporator coil 105. This allows the flow ofair to the conditioned space and the flow of air through the evaporatorcoil 105 to be decreased while the flow of air through the blower 110 ismaintained at or above its minimum flow rate. This also facilitatesimproved dehumidification of air passing through the HVAC system 100. Ingeneral, the various air lines, including the supply air recirculationline 120 and the evaporator bypass line 130, and ducts, including thereturn air duct 140 and the supply air duct 160, may be any appropriateduct or passage for facilitating a directed flow of air.

The blower 110 is any mechanism for providing a flow of air through theHVAC system 100. For example, the blower 110 may be a constant-speed orvariable-speed circulation fan. In certain embodiments, it may bebeneficial for the blower 110 to be operable at different capacities(i.e., variable motor speeds) to circulate air through the HVAC system100 at different flow rates.

The evaporator coil 105 is generally a heat exchanger for providing heattransfer between air flowing through the evaporator coil (i.e.,contacting the outer surface of the evaporator coil 105) and refrigerant175 passing through the interior of the evaporator coil 105. Theevaporator coil 105 is fluidically connected to the compressor 115, suchthat refrigerant 175 flows from the evaporator coil 105 to thecompressor 115.

During operation, low-pressure, low-temperature refrigerant 175 iscirculated through the evaporator coil 105. Refrigerant 175 is initiallyin a liquid/vapor state upon entering the evaporator coil 105. In atypical embodiment, the refrigerant 175 is, for example, R-410A, R-134a,R-22, R-744, or any other suitable type of refrigerant as appropriatefor particular design requirements. Air entering the evaporator coil 105via air line 145 is typically warmer than the refrigerant 175 enteringthe evaporator coil 105 and is circulated through or around theevaporator coil 105 by the blower 110. In a typical embodiment, therefrigerant 175 in the evaporator begins to boil after absorbing heatfrom the air and changes state to a low-pressure (compared to thecondenser), super-heated vapor refrigerant 175. Saturated vapor,saturated liquid, and saturated fluid refers to a thermodynamic statewhere a liquid and its vapor exist in approximate equilibrium with eachother. Super-heated fluid and super-heated vapor refer to athermodynamic state where a vapor is heated above a saturationtemperature of the vapor at a given pressure. Sub-cooled fluid andsub-cooled liquid refers to a thermodynamic state where a liquid iscooled below the saturation temperature of the liquid at a givenpressure.

The low-pressure, low-temperature, super-heated vapor refrigerant 175from the evaporator coil 105 is directed to the compressor 115. Thecompressor 115 may be a constant-speed or variable-speed compressor andmay have a single stage or multiple stages. In a typical embodiment, thecompressor 115 increases the pressure and temperature of thelow-pressure, low-temperature, super-heated vapor refrigerant 175 toform a high-pressure, high-temperature, superheated vapor refrigerant175, which exits the compressor 115 and is directed to the condensercoil 165.

Outside air is circulated around the condenser coil 165, for example, bya condenser fan. The outside air is typically cooler than thehigh-pressure, high-temperature, superheated vapor refrigerant 175 thatenters the condenser coil 165. Thus, heat is transferred from thehigh-pressure, high-temperature, superheated vapor refrigerant 175 tothe outside air. Removal of heat from the high-pressure,high-temperature, superheated vapor refrigerant causes thehigh-pressure, high-temperature, superheated vapor refrigerant 175 tocondense and change from a vapor state to a high-pressure,high-temperature, sub-cooled liquid state. In certain embodiments, theHVAC system 100 may include a three-way valve (not shown) to divert atleast a portion of the high-pressure, high-temperature, superheatedvapor refrigerant from compressor 115 to a re-heat coil (not shown)positioned in the supply air duct 160. The re-heat coil facilitatestransfer of a portion of the heat stored in the high-pressure,high-temperature, superheated vapor refrigerant 175 to the flow of airin the supply air duct 160 thereby heating the flow of air output to theconditioned space.

The high-pressure, high-temperature, sub-cooled liquid refrigerant 175exits the condenser coil 165 and is directed to a metering device 170,which abruptly reduces the pressure of refrigerant 175. The meteringdevice 170 may be a thermostatic expansion valve. Abrupt reduction ofthe pressure of the high-pressure, high-temperature, sub-cooled liquidrefrigerant 175 also causes sudden, rapid, evaporation of a portion ofthe high-pressure, high-temperature, sub-cooled liquid refrigerant 175,commonly known as “flash evaporation.” Flash evaporation lowers thetemperature of the resulting liquid/vapor refrigerant mixture to atemperature lower than a temperature of the air in the conditionedspace. The liquid/vapor refrigerant mixture leaves the metering device170 and returns to the evaporator coil 105. While the illustrativeexample of FIG. 1 includes the components described above, fewer, more,or other components may be used to achieve an appropriate flow oflow-pressure, low-temperature refrigerant to the evaporator coil 105.

The controller 180 is operatively coupled to the compressor 115, theblower 110, the recirculation damper 125, and the bypass damper 135 andis operable to cause dampers 125 and 135 to move based on determinationsrelated to monitored properties of the HVAC system 100 and/or theconditioned space, as described in greater detail herein. The controller180 may be an integrated controller or a distributed controller thatdirects operation of the HVAC system 100. In a typical embodiment, thecontroller 180 includes an interface to receive, for example, thermostatcalls, temperature setpoints, blower control signals, environmentalconditions, and operating mode status for the HVAC system 100. Forexample, in a typical embodiment, the environmental conditions mayinclude indoor temperature and relative humidity of the conditionedspace. In a typical embodiment, the controller 180 also includes aprocessor and a memory to direct operation of the HVAC system 100including, for example, an angle to which the bypass damper 135 shouldbe moved to direct a desired portion of the flow of air from the returnair duct passed the evaporator coil (without passing through theevaporator coil).

The processor of the controller 180 is any electronic circuitry,including, but not limited to microprocessors, application specificintegrated circuits (ASIC), application specific instruction setprocessor (ASIP), and/or state machines, that communicatively couples tomemory and controls the operation of HVAC system 100. The processor ofcontroller 180 may be 8-bit, 16-bit, 32-bit, 64-bit or of any othersuitable architecture. The processor may include an arithmetic logicunit (ALU) for performing arithmetic and logic operations, processorregisters that supply operands to the ALU and store the results of ALUoperations, and a control unit that fetches instructions from memory andexecutes them by directing the coordinated operations of the ALU,registers and other components. The processor may include other hardwareand software that operates to control and process information. Theprocessor executes software stored on memory of the controller 180 toperform any of the functions described herein. The processor may be aprogrammable logic device, a microcontroller, a microprocessor, anysuitable processing device, or any suitable combination of thepreceding. The processor is not limited to a single processing deviceand may encompass multiple processing devices. Similarly, the controller180 is not limited to a single controller but may encompass multiplecontrollers.

Memory of controller 180 may store, either permanently or temporarily,data, operational software, or other information for a processor of thecontroller 180. The memory may include any one or a combination ofvolatile or non-volatile local or remote devices suitable for storinginformation. For example, the memory may include random access memory(RAM), read only memory (ROM), magnetic storage devices, optical storagedevices, or any other suitable information storage device or acombination of these devices. The software represents any suitable setof instructions, logic, or code embodied in a computer-readable storagemedium. For example, the software may be embodied in memory, a disk, aCD, or a flash drive. In particular embodiments, the software mayinclude an application executable by a processor of controller 180 toperform one or more of the functions described herein.

The HVAC system 100 may also include environment sensors to provideenvironmental information about the conditioned space (e.g., temperatureand humidity of the conditioned space) to the controller 180. Thesensors may also send environmental information to a display of a userinterface of HVAC system 100. In some embodiments, the user interfaceprovides additional functions such as, for example, displayingoperational, diagnostic, and status messages and providing a visualinterface that allows at least one of an installer, a user, a supportentity, and a service provider to perform actions with respect to theHVAC system 100. For example, the user interface may be a thermostat ofthe HVAC system 100.

In certain embodiments, connections between various components of theHVAC system 100 are wired. For example, conventional cable and contactsmay be used to couple the controller 180 to the various components ofthe HVAC system 100, including the blower 110, the compressor 115, therecirculation damper 125, and the bypass damper 135. In someembodiments, a wireless connection is employed to provide at least someof the connections between components of the HVAC system such as, forexample, a connection between controller 180 and the variable-speedcirculation fan 110 or any environment sensors of system 100. In someembodiments, a data bus couples various components of the HVAC system100 together such that data is communicated there between. In a typicalembodiment, the data bus may include, for example, any combination ofhardware, software embedded in a computer readable medium, or encodedlogic incorporated in hardware or otherwise stored (e.g., firmware) tocouple components of HVAC system 100 to each other. As an example andnot by way of limitation, the data bus may include an AcceleratedGraphics Port (AGP) or other graphics bus, a Controller Area Network(CAN) bus, a front-side bus (FSB), a HYPERTRANSPORT (HT) interconnect,an INFINIBAND interconnect, a low-pin-count (LPC) bus, a memory bus, aMicro Channel Architecture (MCA) bus, a Peripheral ComponentInterconnect (PCI) bus, a PCI-Express (PCI-X) bus, a serial advancedtechnology attachment (SATA) bus, a Video Electronics StandardsAssociation local (VLB) bus, or any other suitable bus or a combinationof two or more of these. In various embodiments, the data bus mayinclude any number, type, or configuration of data buses, whereappropriate. In certain embodiments, one or more data buses (which mayeach include an address bus and a data bus) may couple the controller180 to other components of the HVAC system 100.

The evaporator bypass line 130 is fluidically connected to the air line150 that fluidically connects the outlet of the evaporator coil 105 tothe inlet of the blower 110. The bypass damper 135 of the evaporatorbypass line 130 may be a motorized damper which is electronicallyadjustable based on a signal received from the controller 180. Thebypass damper 135 is operable to direct a first portion of the flow ofair from the return airduct 140 to the evaporator coil 105 via air line145 and a second portion of the flow of air from the return airduct 140to the inlet of the blower 110 or to air line 150, via the evaporatorbypass line 130. The controller 180 is operable to cause the bypassdamper 135 to move in order to decrease the first portion of the flow ofair from the return airduct 140 that is directed to the inlet of theevaporator via airline 145 and to increase the second portion of theflow of air from the return airduct 140 that is diverted passed theevaporator coil 105 via the evaporator bypass line 130. This allows thetotal flow of air through the HVAC system 100 to reach the blower 110,while a decreased flow of air passes through the evaporator coil 105. Insome instances, the evaporator coil 105 more effectively dehumidifiesthe flow of air when a decreased flow of air passes through theevaporator coil 105, as described in greater detail herein.

The supply air recirculation line 120 fluidically connects the supplyair duct 160 to the return air duct 140. The recirculation damper 125 ofthe supply air recirculation line 120 may be a motorized damper which iselectronically adjustable based on a signal received from the controller180. The recirculation damper 125 is operable to direct a first portionof a flow of air from the blower 110 to a conditioned space via thesupply air duct 160. The recirculation damper 125 is also operable todirect a second portion of air from the supply air duct 160 to thereturn air duct 140 via the supply air recirculation line 120. Thecontroller 180 is operable to cause the recirculation damper 125 to move(e.g., to an adjusted angle) to decrease the first portion of the flowof air supplied to the conditioned space and to increase the secondportion of the flow of air directed to the return airduct 140. Thisallows a portion of the conditioned air to be recirculated through theHVAC system 100 (i.e., recirculated towards the evaporator coil 105 forfurther cooling and/dehumidification), while the blower 110 stillprovides the total flow of air required for proper operation. Asdescribed in greater detail herein with respect to FIGS. 4 and 5,recirculating conditioned air through the HVAC system improvedehumidification performance of the HVAC system 100.

While the illustrative embodiment of FIG. 1 includes the supply airrecirculation line 120 and the recirculation damper 125, otherembodiments of the HVAC system 100 (not shown) do not include therecirculation line 120 or the recirculation damper 125 disposed therein,as described in greater detail below, for example, with respect to FIG.3.

In an example operation of the HVAC system 100, a flow of air isprovided through HVAC system 100 by the blower 110. In the illustrativeexample of FIG. 1, the flow of air is provided to air line 155 whichfluidically connects the output of blower 110 to the supply air duct 160and the supply air recirculation line 120. The controller 180 determinesa portion of this flow of air to recirculate through the HVAC system 100(via the supply air recirculation line 120), rather than to supply tothe conditioned space (via the supply air duct 160). This determinationcan be made, for example, by determining whether a minimum flow rate ofthe blower is greater than a predetermined supply air flow rate of theHVAC system 100. The predetermined supply air flow rate of the HVACsystem 100 may be based on design specifications of the space beingcooled and/or dehumidified by HVAC system 100, as described herein. Forexample, a minimum rate of air flow may be required to provide anadequate flow of air throughout the conditioned space, and any excessflow of air beyond this minimum rate of air flow may be recirculatedthrough the HVAC system 100 to improve dehumidification.

The controller 180 then determines the portion of the flow of air torecirculate through the HVAC system via the supply air recirculationline 120. The controller 180 then causes the recirculation damper 125 tomove (e.g., to an appropriate angle) such that the determined portion ofthe flow of conditioned air is diverted through the supply airrecirculation line 120. For example, if the required supply flow rate ofthe condition space is 800 CFM and the minimum flow rate of the bloweris 900 CFM, controller 180 may determine that 100 CFM (i.e., 900 CFM-800CFM) of air is to be recirculated through the HVAC system via the supplyair recirculation line 120. Controller 180 then causes recirculationdamper 125 to move to an appropriate angle to direct 100 CFM of airthrough supply air recirculation line 120. Although 800 CFM is providedto the conditioned space, blower 110 still provides the required minimumflow of 900 CFM, thereby allowing the blower 110 to function properlywhile system performance is improved via recirculation of conditionedair through the HVAC system 100.

The controller 180 then determines how much air to divert through bypassline 130 to prevent this portion of the flow of air from passing throughthe evaporator coil 105. Thus, the flow of air through the evaporatorcoil 105 is decreased, while the blower 110 still operates at its fullminimum flow of air, corresponding to the flow of air through air line150 and bypass line 130. As described herein, decreasing the flow of airthrough the evaporator coil 105 (i.e., the air provided from air line145 of FIG. 1) facilitates improved removal of water from the airpassing through the evaporator coil 105.

To determine a portion of the flow of air from the return air duct todivert through bypass line 130, the controller 180 first determines anoperating mode of the HVAC system 100. Typically, the controller 180determines whether the system is operating in a cooling mode ordehumidification mode. Each mode is associated with a correspondingthreshold value for the ratio of (i) the speed of the blower in terms ofthe rate of air flow provided by the blower (e.g., in CFM) to (ii) thecompressor speed (e.g., in terms of a tonnage). For example, thisthreshold value may be 400 CFM/Ton for a cooling mode and 200 CFM/Tonfor a dehumidification mode. It should be understood that these areexample threshold values, and different threshold values may beappropriate, for example, depending on environmental conditions, designspecifications of the HVAC system 100 and/or characteristics of theconditioned space.

The controller 180 then determines whether the ratio of (i) the flow ofair provided by the blower 110 to (ii) the speed of the compressor 115is greater than the predetermined threshold value for the operatingmode. For example, for a blower operating at 900 CFM and a compressoroperating at 1.5 Ton, this ratio is 600 CFM/Ton (i.e., 900 CFM/1.5 Ton),which is greater than the threshold value of 400 CFM/Ton for the coolingmode and the threshold value of 200 CFM/Ton for the dehumidificationmode.

Responsive to this determination that the ratio (600 CFM/Ton) is greaterthan the predetermined threshold value for the operating mode (e.g., 400CFM/Ton for the cooling mode), the controller then determines a portionof the flow rate of air from the return air duct to divert to the bypassline 130. The controller 180 determines the portion of air to passthrough evaporator coil 105 based on the threshold value for theoperating mode such that the ratio of (i) the flow of air passingthrough evaporator coil 105 (via air line 145) to (ii) the speed of thecompressor is approximately equal to the threshold value. For example,in the example cooling mode, 600 CFM of air (400 CFM/Ton×1.5 Ton) shouldbe directed to the evaporator coil 105 via air line 145. In the exampledehumidification mode, 300 CFM (200 CFM/Ton×1.5 Ton) of air should bedirected to the evaporator coil 105 via air line 145. The controller 180then causes the bypass damper 135 to move (e.g., to an appropriateangle) to direct the determined flow of air for the operating mode tothe evaporator coil 105. The remaining flow of air is diverted to thebypass line 130 in order to bypass the evaporator coil 105.

FIG. 2 is a flow chart illustrating a method 200 for operating an HVACsystem, according to an illustrative embodiment of the presentdisclosure. In particular embodiments, the HVAC system 100 of FIG. 1performs method 200. By preforming method 200, the HVAC system 100 moreeffectively dehumidifies air without over-cooling the conditioned spaceor requiring compressor 115 to operate at an excessively high speed,which can result in problems such as the production of moisture in HVACsystem 100 and damage to the compressor 115 or other components of theHVAC system 100.

In step 205, the controller 180 of the HVAC system 100 may firstdetermine whether a minimum flow of the blower 110 is greater than apredetermined or target flowrate of the HVAC system 100. If thiscondition is met, the controller 180 proceeds to step 210 and determinesa recirculation portion of the flow of air from the supply air duct 160to divert to the return air duct 140 via the supply air recirculationline 120. This determination is based at least in part on a minimumoperating flow rate of the blower 110. For example, the portion of theflow of air to divert through the supply air recirculation line 120 maybe determined based on a difference between the minimum operating flowrate of the blower 110 and the predetermined supply air flow raterequired for the HVAC system. For example, if the target flow rate tothe conditioned space is 800 CFM and the blower 110 has a minimum airflow rate of 900 CFM, then 100 CFM (900 CFM-800 CFM) of air may bedetermined as the recirculation portion of the flow of air to divert tothe supply air recirculation line 120.

In step 215, the controller 180 causes the recirculation damper 125disposed in the supply air recirculation line 120 to move so therecirculation portion of the flow of air is diverted to the return airduct 140 through the supply air recirculation line 120. For example, thecontroller 180 may transmit a signal to the recirculation damper 125which causes the damper 125 to move to an appropriate angle to achievethe appropriate flow of recirculated air through the supply airrecirculation line 120.

In step 220, the controller determines an operating mode of the HVACsystem. For example, the operating mode may be a cooling mode ordehumidification mode. As described elsewhere herein, each mode may havea predetermined threshold ratio value for the desired rate of airflowper actual ton of cooling. This predetermined threshold ratio value maybe 400 CFM/Ton for a cooling mode and 200 CFM/Ton for a dehumidificationmode.

In step 220, the controller may determine whether the rate of airflowprovided by the blower 110 per actual ton of cooling by the compressor115 is greater than the threshold ratio value for the operating mode. Ifthis ratio is greater than the threshold value, the controller proceedsto step 230.

In step 230, the controller 180 determines a portion of the flow of airfrom the return air duct 140 (i.e., the flow of air which would normallypass through the evaporator coil 105) to divert through the bypass line130 to bypass the evaporator coil 105. In other words, the controller180 determines a bypass portion of the flow of air from the return airduct to divert to an output of the evaporator coil 105 through theevaporator bypass line 130. This determination is based at least in parton the operating mode of the HVAC system. For example, the portion ofair to bypass the evaporator coil 105 may be determined such that theratio of the flow passing through the evaporator coil 105 via air line145 to the speed of the compressor 115 is approximately equal to thethreshold ratio value for the operating mode. For example, if the totalflow of air in the return air duct 140 is 900 CFM and the HVAC system100 has a 1.5 Ton compressor 115 and is operating in a cooling mode(threshold ratio value=400 CFM/Ton), then the desired flow of air topass through the evaporator coil 105 may be 600 CFM (400 CFM/Ton×1.5Ton). The flow of air to divert to the bypass line 130 is thus 300 CFM(900 CFM-600 CFM). This allows an optimal flow of air (600 CFM) to flowthrough the evaporator coil 105, while the blower 110 functions at itsrequired minimum air flow rate required for proper operation, 900 CFM(600 CFM received from the outlet of the evaporator coil 105+300 CFMreceived from the bypass line 130).

In step 235, the controller 180 may determine whether airflow to theevaporator coil 105 is less than the predetermined target flow of theHVAC system 100. If the flow of air to the evaporator coil 105 isgreater than the target flow, then air is not required to bypass theevaporator coil 105 and the controller returns to the start of method300. Otherwise, if the flow of air directed to the evaporator coil 105is less than the target flow of the HVAC system 100, the controller 180proceeds to step 240.

In step 240, the controller 180 causes the bypass damper 135 to move todivert the bypass portion (determined in step 230) of the flow of airfrom the return air duct 140 to the output of the evaporator coil 105via the evaporator bypass line 130. For example, the controller 180 maytransmit a signal to the bypass damper 135 which causes the damper 135to move to an appropriate angle to achieve the appropriate flow ofbypass air through the evaporator bypass line 130.

Modifications, additions, or omissions may be made to method 200depicted in FIG. 2. Method 200 may include more, fewer, or other steps.For example, steps may be performed in parallel or in any suitableorder. While primarily discussed as HVAC system 100 (or componentsthereof) performing the steps, any suitable HVAC system or any suitablecomponents of the HVAC system may perform one or more steps of themethods.

As described above, in certain embodiments, system 100 does not includea supply air recirculation line 120. For example, dehumidification canbe improved with the bypass line 130 alone. The example method 300illustrated in FIG. 300 can be used to operate such a system.

If in step 305, the controller 180 may determine whether the rate of airflow provided by the blower 110 is equal to the minimum required airflow of the blower 110. In other words, the controller 180 determineswhether the speed of the blower 110 can be decreased. If the blower 110is not at its minimum flow rate, the controller 180 may proceed to step330 to determine whether the flowrate is greater than or equal to somethreshold times the minimum flowrate. If this condition is met, thedamper is moved to a fully closed position so that no airflow bypassesthe evaporator coil 105 (step 335). The controller 180 may also causethe blower 110 to operate at a decreased flow rate. Otherwise, referringagain to step 305, if the blower 110 is at the minimum flow rate, thecontroller 180 proceeds to step 310.

In step 310, the controller 180 determines an operating mode of the HVACsystem. For example, the operating mode may be a cooling mode ordehumidification mode. As already described, each mode may have apredetermined threshold ratio value for the desired rate of airflow peractual ton of cooling. This predetermined threshold ratio value may be,for example, 400 CFM/Ton for a cooling mode and 200 CFM/Ton for adehumidification mode.

In step 315, the controller may determine whether the rate of airflowprovided by the blower 110 per actual ton of cooling by the compressor115 is greater than the threshold ratio value for the operating mode. Ifthis ratio is greater than the threshold value, the controller 180proceeds to step 320. Otherwise, the controller returns to the start ofmethod 300 to monitor operating parameters of the HVAC system.

In step 320, the controller 180 determines a portion of the flow of airfrom the return air duct 140 (i.e., the flow of air which would normallypass through the evaporator coil 105) to bypass the evaporator coil 105.In other words, the controller 180 determines a bypass portion of theflow of air from the return air duct 140 to divert to an output of theevaporator coil 105 through the evaporator bypass line 130. Thisdetermination is based at least in part on the operating mode of theHVAC system, as described above with respect to step 230 of method 200.

In step 325, the controller 180 causes the bypass damper 135 to move todivert the bypass portion of the flow of air from the return air duct140 to the output of the evaporator coil 105 via the evaporator bypassline 130. For example, the controller 180 may transmit a signal to thebypass damper 135 which causes the damper 135 to move to an appropriateangle to achieve the appropriate flow of bypass air through theevaporator bypass line 130.

Modifications, additions, or omissions may be made to method 300depicted in FIG. 3. Method 300 may include more, fewer, or other steps.For example, steps may be performed in parallel or in any suitableorder. While at times discussed as HVAC system 100 (or componentsthereof) performing the steps, any suitable HVAC system or components ofthe HVAC system may perform one or more steps of the method.

As described above, the systems apparatus, and methods described hereinprovide various advantages and improvements for the dehumidification ofair by the HVAC system 100. FIGS. 4 and 5 show plots 400 and 500,respectively, of example performance metrics of the HVAC system thatexemplify these advantages and improvements of dehumidificationperformance. FIG. 4 shows calculated latent capacities of the HVACsystem 100 with different flows of air through the evaporator bypassline 130 and the supply air recirculation line 120. FIG. 5 showscalculated S/T Ratios of the HVAC system 100 with different flows of airthrough the evaporator bypass line 130 and the supply air recirculationline 120. As shown in FIGS. 4 AND 5, optimum latent capacity andimproved (i.e., lower) S/T Ratio can be achieved by increasing theportion of air diverted through the evaporator bypass line 130. Theseexemplary performance metrics can be further improved through thesynergistic combination of flowing air through both the evaporatorbypass line 130 and the supply air recirculation line 120. It should beunderstood that the above-described advantages are for illustrativepurposes. These particular advantages do not need to be achieved inorder to realize a benefit from the systems and methods describedherein.

Although the present disclosure includes several embodiments, a myriadof changes, variations, alterations, transformations, and modificationsmay be suggested to one skilled in the art, and it is intended that thepresent disclosure encompass such changes, variations, alterations,transformations, and modifications as fall within the scope of theappended claims.

Modifications, additions, or omissions may be made to the systems,apparatus, and methods described herein without departing from the scopeof the disclosure. The components of the systems and apparatuses may beintegrated or separated. Moreover, the operations of the systems andapparatuses may be performed by more, fewer, or other components. Forexample, refrigeration system 100 may include any suitable number ofcompressors, condensers, condenser fans, evaporators, valves, sensors,controllers, and so on, as performance demands dictate. One skilled inthe art will also understand that refrigeration system 100 can includeother components that are not illustrated but are typically includedwith refrigeration systems. Additionally, operations of the systems andapparatuses may be performed using any suitable logic comprisingsoftware, hardware, and/or other logic. As used in this document, “each”refers to each member of a set or each member of a subset of a set.

What is claimed is:
 1. A heating, ventilation, and air conditioning(HVAC) system comprising: an evaporator coil disposed between a returnair duct and a supply air duct; a compressor fluidically connected tothe evaporator coil; a blower disposed between the evaporator and thesupply air duct for providing a flow of air through the HVAC system; asupply air recirculation line fluidically connecting the supply air ductto the return air duct, the supply air recirculation line comprising arecirculation damper for adjusting a first flow of air to a conditionedspace via the supply air duct and a second flow of air from the supplyair duct to the return air duct via the supply air recirculation line;an evaporator bypass line fluidically connecting the return air duct toan output airstream of the evaporator coil, the evaporator bypass linecomprising a bypass damper for adjusting a third flow of air to an inputof the evaporator coil and a fourth flow of air to the output airstreamof the evaporator coil via the evaporator bypass line; and a controlleroperatively coupled to the compressor, the blower, the recirculationdamper, and the bypass damper, the controller operable to: determine arecirculation portion of the first flow of air to divert from the supplyair duct to the return air duct based at least in part on a minimumoperating flow rate of the blower; cause the recirculation damper tomove to divert the recirculation portion of the first flow of air fromthe supply air duct to the return air duct via the supply airrecirculation line; determine an operating mode of the HVAC system;determine a bypass portion of the third flow of air to divert from thereturn air duct to the output airstream of the evaporator coil based atleast in part on the operating mode of the HVAC system; cause the bypassdamper to move to divert the bypass portion of the third flow of airfrom the return air duct to the output airstream of the evaporator coilvia the evaporator bypass line; determine whether the minimum operatingflow rate of the blower is greater than a predetermined supply air flowrate of the HVAC system; and responsive to a determination that theminimum operating flow rate of the blower is greater than thepredetermined supply air flow rate of the HVAC system, determine therecirculation portion of the first flow of air to divert from the supplyair duct to the return air duct based on a difference between theminimum operating flow rate of the blower and the predetermined supplyair flow rate of the HVAC system.
 2. The HVAC system of claim 1, whereinthe controller is further configured to: determine a predeterminedthreshold ratio value for the operating mode; determine whether a ratioof the minimum operating flow rate of the blower to a speed of thecompressor is greater than the predetermined threshold ratio value forthe operating mode; responsive to a determination that the ratio isgreater than the predetermined threshold ratio value, determine thebypass portion of the third flow of air to divert from the return airduct to the output airstream of the evaporator coil based on the speedof the compressor and the predetermined threshold value for theoperating mode.
 3. The HVAC system of claim 2, wherein the operatingmode of the HVAC system is a cooling mode and the predeterminedthreshold ratio value is a cooling threshold value.
 4. The HVAC systemof claim 2, wherein the operating mode of the HVAC system is adehumidification mode and the predetermined threshold ratio value is adehumidification threshold value.
 5. The HVAC system of claim 1, whereinan S/T Ratio of the HVAC system is equal to or less than 0.75.
 6. TheHVAC system of claim 1, the system further comprising a condenserfluidically connected to the compressor for condensing a refrigerant;and an expansion valve fluidically connected to the condenser and theevaporator coil for increasing a volume of the refrigerant.
 7. A methodof operating an HVAC system, the method comprising: determining, by acontroller of the HVAC system, a recirculation portion of a first flowof air to divert from a supply air duct of the HVAC system to a returnair duct via a supply air recirculation line based at least in part on aminimum operating flow rate of a blower of the HVAC system, wherein thesupply air recirculation line fluidically connects the supply air ductto the return air duct; causing, by the controller, a recirculationdamper disposed in the supply air recirculation line to move to divertthe recirculation portion of the first flow of air from the supply airduct to the return air duct via the supply air recirculation line;determining, by the controller, an operating mode of the HVAC system;determining, by the controller, a bypass portion of a second flow of airto divert from the return air duct to an output airstream of anevaporator coil of the HVAC system via an evaporator bypass line basedat least in part on the operating mode of the HVAC system, wherein theevaporator bypass line fluidically connects the return air duct to theoutput airstream of the evaporator coil; causing, by the controller, abypass damper disposed in the evaporator bypass line to move to divertthe bypass portion of the third flow of air from the return air duct tothe output airstream of the evaporator coil via the evaporator bypassline; determining, by the controller, whether the minimum operating flowrate of the blower is greater than a predetermined supply air flow rateof the HVAC system; and responsive to determining the minimum flow ratethe blower is greater than the predetermined supply air flow rate of theHVAC system, determining the recirculation portion of the first flow ofair to divert from the supply air duct to the return air duct based on adifference between the minimum operating flow rate of the blower and thepredetermined supply air flow rate of the HVAC system.
 8. The method ofclaim 7, further comprising: determining, by the controller, apredetermined threshold ratio value for the operating mode; determining,by the controller, whether a ratio of the minimum operating flow rate ofthe blower to a speed of a compressor of the HVAC system is greater thanthe predetermined threshold ratio value for the operating mode;responsive to determining that the ratio is greater than thepredetermined threshold ratio value, determining, by the controller, thebypass portion of the second flow of air to divert from the return airduct to the output airstream of the evaporator coil based on the speedof the compressor and the predetermined threshold value for theoperating mode.
 9. The method of claim 8, wherein the operating mode ofthe HVAC system is a cooling mode and the predetermined threshold ratiovalue is a cooling threshold value.
 10. The method of claim 8, whereinthe operating mode of the HVAC system is a dehumidification mode and thepredetermined threshold ratio value is a dehumidification thresholdvalue.
 11. The method of claim 7, wherein an S/T Ratio of the HVACsystem is equal to or less than 0.75.
 12. The method of claim 7, whereinthe HVAC system further comprises a condenser fluidically connected tothe compressor for condensing a refrigerant; and an expansion valvefluidically connected to the condenser and the evaporator coil forincreasing a volume of the refrigerant.
 13. A heating, ventilation, andair conditioning (HVAC) system comprising: an evaporator coil disposedbetween a return air duct and a supply air duct; a compressorfluidically connected to the evaporator coil; a blower disposed betweenthe evaporator and the supply air duct for providing a flow of airthrough the HVAC system; an evaporator bypass line fluidicallyconnecting the return air duct to an output airstream of the evaporatorcoil, the evaporator bypass line comprising a bypass damper foradjusting a first flow of air to an input of the evaporator coil and asecond flow of air to the output airstream of the evaporator coil viathe evaporator bypass line; and a controller operatively coupled to thecompressor, the blower, and the bypass damper, the controller operableto: determine an operating mode of the HVAC system; determine a bypassportion of the first flow of air to divert from the return air duct tothe output airstream of the evaporator coil based at least in part onthe operating mode of the HVAC system; cause the bypass damper to moveto divert the bypass portion of the first flow of air from the returnair duct to the output airstream of the evaporator coil via theevaporator bypass line; determine a predetermined threshold ratio valuefor the operating mode; determine whether a ratio of the minimumoperating flow rate of the blower to a speed of the compressor isgreater than the predetermined threshold ratio value for the operatingmode; and responsive to a determination that the ratio is greater thanthe predetermined threshold ratio value, determine the bypass portion ofthe first flow of air to divert from the return air duct to the outputairstream of the evaporator coil based on the speed of the compressorand the predetermined threshold value for the operating mode.
 14. TheHVAC system of claim 13, wherein the operating mode of the HVAC systemis a cooling mode and the predetermined threshold ratio value is acooling threshold value.
 15. The HVAC system of claim 13, wherein theoperating mode of the HVAC system is a dehumidification mode and thepredetermined threshold ratio value is a dehumidification thresholdvalue.
 16. The HVAC system of claim 13, wherein an S/T Ratio of the HVACsystem is equal to or less than 0.75.
 17. The HVAC system of claim 13,the system further comprising a condenser fluidically connected to thecompressor for condensing a refrigerant; and an expansion valvefluidically connected to the condenser and the evaporator coil forincreasing a volume of the refrigerant.